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Author Topic: old hercules powder  (Read 746 times)

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Offline markp

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old hercules powder
« on: March 01, 2009, 04:14:16 PM »
  I  have  a pound of hercules 2400  I bought in perhaps 1994. Stored it appears unopened in the original
  container. Also I have about 1/2 lb of winchester 296. these were not stored in a basement, rather in an apartment  most of these years.  Should I expect this power to be  good at this point in time.
 I used these powers to load for a .357,  41 and 44 magnum. I would do the same now  if its still useable.
 Almost forgot I also have  cci and winchester primers . Should they still be good ?
 
Not sure if components are available with all the Obama mania  in play. Or at what price if they are.
 
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Offline james25889

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Re: old hercules powder
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2009, 04:31:20 PM »
i would think it would still be good
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Offline woodchukhntr

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Re: old hercules powder
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2009, 05:05:08 PM »
I've been using powders a lot older than that with no apparent problems or degradation of performance..
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Offline Catfish

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Re: old hercules powder
« Reply #3 on: March 02, 2009, 02:57:55 PM »
Smell it. If it smells good it is and if it don`t smell right pitch it. I have loaded powder alot older than that, but have had to pitch out some that was not near that old. If it was sealed good it could have been stored under water and still be good.
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Offline markp

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Re: old hercules powder
« Reply #4 on: March 02, 2009, 03:46:15 PM »
  The verdict form your posts is it will more then likely be good. I suspected it would.
 


   Thanks
   I will give it a shot !!
 
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Offline 45-70.gov

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Re: old hercules powder
« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2009, 03:54:24 PM »
i  was given 8  pounds of bullseye  in 93
man  told me it was  too  old for him  to shoot  then
i  am down  to 4 pounds  now finally
no  problems

i  shot  WW1 surplus ammo  [original powder]
no problems

i  under stand powder can  go bad  tho
factory  told  me to smell  the bullseye
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Offline calvon

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Re: old hercules powder
« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2009, 04:49:57 PM »
I have some H4831 that I bought for fifty two cents per pound back in the mid 1960's. It has been stored in an unheated garage in a dark closet in tin cans. It still performs, so far as I can determine, as it did when I bought it. Ditto for some H4895 that I bought in the mid 1970's for a dollar a pound. It was stored the same way the H4831 was stored, and it performs as it always has. I live in a semi-desert zone east of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon.

Whoever told you that you should smell the powder, and trash it  if it smells bad, was spot on. Look also for some red rusty looking dust in the powder. Those are bad signs, and probably a signal that it should be used as fertilizer in your garden or flower beds. If it has a smell sort of like ether, and it shows none of the characteristics previously warned against, use it.
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Offline beerbelly

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Re: old hercules powder
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2009, 12:59:53 AM »
I have a new contianer of H424 and it stinks. But if shoots. How well I don't know yet.
                         Beerbelly
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Offline OLDHandgunner

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Re: old hercules powder
« Reply #8 on: March 03, 2009, 01:37:28 AM »
I have a full box ( case of 10 ) 1lb metal square cans of Bulleye powder that was given to me. The guy owed a gun shop and retired and gave me lots of good reloading stuff. I'm still using this powder in my 38 Spl loads with no problems.
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Offline Cheesehead

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Re: old hercules powder
« Reply #9 on: March 03, 2009, 02:15:35 AM »
I am using surplus powder, from 1947, from pulled 8mm ammo, with great results.

Cheese
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Offline rbwillnj

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Re: old hercules powder
« Reply #10 on: March 06, 2009, 02:28:45 AM »
I've got one of those square Hercules 1 lb cans of Bullseye.   It has a sticker on the side with dates it was refilled.  The last date was in 1977.  What do you think, good powder for my 50 yard loads?
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